The role of the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) as an umbrella species for Andean ecoregions
The role of the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) as an umbrella species for Andean ecoregions
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DOI：
10.1071/wr18056
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发表时间：
2019-03-01
影响因子：
1.9
通讯作者：
Guerrero-Casado, Jose
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Crespo-Gascon, Sofia;Guerrero-Casado, Jose
语境。伞形物种的概念已被提出作为保护更广泛的物种和生态系统的替代品。然而，由于缺乏经验证据支持，这一概念经常受到研究人员的质疑。本研究的目的是测试眼镜熊 Tremarctos ornatus (FG Cuvier, 1825)（也称为安第斯熊）作为其栖息的 12 个安第斯生态区的推定保护伞物种的作用。方法。使用地理信息系统，对每个生态区内受威胁的脊椎动物数量以及眼镜熊存在（分布范围）和不存在的地区存在的脊椎动物物种（哺乳动物和鸟类）总数进行比较，以评估眼镜熊作为保护伞物种的作用。 主要结果。从绝对值来看，眼镜熊可以被视为保护伞物种，因为12个生态区的20.6%的面积都在眼镜熊的分布范围之内，而且眼镜熊存在的地区的脊椎动物物种丰富度和受威胁物种的总数均高于其不存在的地区。然而，结果表明，有熊存在和不存在的地区的物种数量差异取决于生态区和目标类群。结论。这些结果表明，眼镜熊作为保护伞物种的有效性并不广泛，因为保护熊存在的区域可能并不总是等于所有生态区中所有类群的更大保护效益（更高的物种丰富度）。如果将眼镜熊作为保护伞物种，则需要同时考虑生态区和目标类群，这些类群的保护将因眼镜熊分布范围的保护而得到改善。
Context. The concept of umbrella species has been proposed as a surrogate for the conservation of a wider range of species and ecosystems. This concept has, however, frequently been questioned by researchers because of the lack of empirical evidence to support it.Aims. The aim of the present study was to test the role of the spectacled bear, Tremarctos ornatus (FG Cuvier, 1825), also known as Andean bear, as a putative umbrella species for the 12 Andean ecoregions it inhabits.Methods. The number of threatened vertebrates, as well as the total number of vertebrate species (mammals and birds) existing in areas where the spectacled bear is present (distribution range) and absent, were compared within each ecoregion to assess the role of spectacled bear as an umbrella species, using geographical information systems.Key results. In absolute terms, the spectacled bear could be considered an umbrella species, because 20.6% of the area of the 12 ecoregions was covered by the bear's distribution range, and the total numbers of both vertebrate species richness and threatened species were higher in areas where the bears were present than in those where they were absent. However, the results showed that the differences with regard to the number of species in areas in which the bears were present and absent depended on the ecoregion and the targeted taxa.Conclusions. These results suggest that the effectiveness of the spectacled bear as an umbrella species is not widespread, because conserving the areas in which bears are present may not always equate to greater conservation benefits (higher species richness) in all the ecoregions for all the taxa.Implications. If spectacled bear is used as an umbrella species, it is necessary to consider both the ecoregions and the targeted taxa whose conservation would be improved as a result of the preservation of the spectacled bear's distribution range.